Conversation: 646-002
Prev:  646-001 Next: 646-003Start Date: 12-Jan-1972 4:04 PM
End Date: 12-Jan-1972 4:30 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Agnew, Spiro T. (Vice President); Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:02:31
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 00:29:41
NARA Description:
On January 12, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Vice President Spiro T. Agnew met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:04 pm to 4:30 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 646-002 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 646-2 Date: January 12, 1972 Time: 4:04 pm - 4:30 pm Location: Oval Office The President met with Vice President Spiro T. Agnew. The President's schedule -Return from Camp David -Writing The President's writing technique -Speeches -White House staff -Camp David -Seclusion Press -White House relations -Attitude -Government secrecy -Liberals -People's "right to know" -President’s performance of duties -Democratic contenders' views Document secrecy -Court rulings -Courts’ competency to adjudicate -Possible legislation -White House appeal to congressional leaders -F. Edward Hebert -John C. Stennis -Margaret Chase Smith -Leslie C. Arends -Restriction on document classification -Current abuse -Limitation to authorized people -Level of classification -Presidential classification -Authority of courts 3 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 646-2 (cont.) -The President's power of classification compared to content of document -Analogy to slander per se -Improper use by violator -Penalty -Use of document in defense -Constitutionality -Courts -Sensitivity -Jack N. Anderson -General public -Foreign agents -Possible use -Possible legislation -Congressional leaders -Public's "right to know" -Relevance -Presidential classification -Improper use -Court rulings -Libel laws -Press attitude -Possible legislation -Agnew’s discussions with congressional leaders -Hebert -Administration's activity on declassification -William H. Rehnquist -Quantity -John W. Dean III -John D. Ehrlichman -David R. Young, Jr. -Investigative work on Anderson papers -Person who leaked information -Prosecution -Compared with Daniel Ellsberg -Ellsberg case -Ehrlichman's work as private lawyer -Pentagon Papers -Neil and Susan (Margulies) Sheehan -Harvard University think-tank -The Sheehans 4 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 646-2 (cont.) -Alleged activity in obtaining documents -Press -Prosecution by White House -New York Times -Election year considerations -Future plans -Possible legislation -Agnew’s work -Press -Relations with White House -Agnew’s possible role -The President’s recent telephone conversation -1970 election -Possible interpretation -Agnew’s proposed legislation -Possible contacts -Stennis, Arends and Hebert -J. William Fulbright -Dean and Ehrlichman -Rehnquist -Previous work -Relations with the Vice President -Dean and Ehrlichman -Declassification -Increase -Presidential classification -Sanctity -Harry S. Truman -The President’s activity in Alger Hiss case -Political uses -National security use -India-Pakistan issue -Leaks -Impact -National Security Council [NSC] and Washington Special Actions Group [WSAG] -Confidential conversations 5 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 646-2 (cont.) National security -Presidential confidential conversations -The President's methods -Dwight D. Eisenhower's example -Emmett Hughes's book -John F. Dulles and the President -Conduct of government -Government operations -The President's methods -NSC -[Unintelligible] -India-Pakistan Partition War, 1948 -Casualties -India-Pakistan War of 1971 -Dacca -American Residents -Helicopter evacuation -US treaty -Pakistan -Lack of US treaty commitment -Other nations’ possible aid -Options -Interpretation by press -Agnew’s proposal -Convictions for leaking secrets -Ellsberg -Compared to liberal [causes celebre] -Huey Newton -Juries -Public opinion -Approach to Congress -Submission to the President -Conversation with Rehnquist -Conversations with Ehrlichman and Dean -Possible work -Rehnquist -Approach -Rehnquist's new position -Legacy -Possible memorandum to Dean 6 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 646-2 (cont.) Supreme Court nominations -Rehnquist -Rejection of other possible nominees National security -Press attitude -Anderson -Agnew -Possible speech -Reaction -Possible interview -Herbert E. Kaplow -Content and tone -Kaplow's possible action -Agnew’s relations with the press 1972 campaign -1956 election example -Adlai E. Stevenson II -Attacks by the President as Vice President -Tone -Stevenson's response -Eisenhower's response ***************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4 [Personal Returnable] [Duration: 2m 37s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4 ***************************************************************** 7 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 646-2 (cont.) Agnew’s forthcoming speeches -Lincoln Day -University of Georgia -Invitation from Dean Rusk -Message from the President about Rusk -Florida Memorial College -Fund-raiser for Dr. Arthur A. Fletcher -College campuses -Question and answer format -Midwest -Colleges -Question and answer format -Agnew’s delivery -Compared with Edmund S. Muskie Muskie -Speeches -Ability -Previous appearance in Florida -Reply to question from Black person -Newspaper coverage -Television coverage State of the Union message Troop withdrawal announcement, January 13, 1972 -Rate Laos -Vulnerability -South Vietnam -Cambodia South Vietnam -US accomplishment 8 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 646-2 (cont.) Laos and Cambodia -Press coverage -Public opinion -US presence -Purpose -US withdrawal Vietnam -US troop strength -Withdrawal -Casualties -Withdrawal -Rate -Prisoners of war [POWs] -South Vietnam -Political prospects -Military strength -Air Force and Navy -North Vietnam -Army -North Vietnam -Military operations -North Vietnam -November 1972 -Weather -The President's trip to People's Republic of China [PRC] -II Corps -Press coverage Agnew’s proposal on national security and document secrecy -Approach to Rehnquist -Ehrlichman's and Dean's work The President's schedule -George W. Romney 9 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 646-2 (cont.) Briefing on budget, January 12, 1972 -George P. Shultz -Performance Agnew left at 4:30 pm.